This invention relates to sheet distributing or sorting devices and more particularly to an apparatus which can continuously sort large numbers of multipaged documents as copies of a particular page proceed from a reproducing device such as a printer or copy making machine. This application references copending applications Ser. No. 897,274, for "Feeding Mechanism For A Continuous Sorting Machine"; Ser. No. 897,273, for "Bin Receiver Mechanism for a Continuous Paper Sorting Machine"; and Ser. No. 897,275, for "Paper Sheet Deflecting System for Sorter Mechanism" all of which were filed on Apr. 17, 1978, and are now abandoned.
Prior art paper distributors, sorters and/or collators have encountered many problems. One is that the increases in material and labor costs have made it imperative that the capacity of the reproduction machine be utilized to its maximum. In order for the maximum production capability of a printing or copy making machine to be utilized, it is necessary that the sorter have the capacity to receive the printer or copy making machine output without undue loss of press or copy making machine time. Large volume sorting machines have been introduced to the market place but they are not continuous. For instance, after a column of trays or bins has been filled, it is necessary to shift that filled column away from the feeder and move an empty column into position to continue the sorting job. Thus, there is lost a significant amount of press or copy machine production time between columns. Additionally, time is lost if the bins have to be unloaded on line.
The differences in the volume of jobs that sorters must handle suggest that sorters should be modular to the extent that if a module does not have the capacity, additional modular receiver bin sections may be provided without any substantial loss of time or extra handling of the copied material. While smaller collators or sorters are mainly intended for the office market as a necessary adjunct to office copying machinery, larger sorters are more intended for the high production commercial market and for large in-plant reproduction centers, commercial houses and printing departments. These higher volume paper handling installations may be turning out catalogs, maintenance manuals, instruction books, brochures, sales material and perhaps other items such as reports, bid specifications and other large quantity multi-page publications. Those skilled in the art will appreciate the savings in labor, time and money if the output of a printing or copying center can be sorted and handled at a rate which is matched to the press and duplicating machinery production capability.
Among the prior art references which may be considered with respect to the features of this invention are the following: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,420,517; 3,273,882; 3,356,362; 3,848,867; 3,937,459; 3,938,801; 3,740,050; 3,944,217; and 3,963,235. The devices covered by the above list of patents are considered to be non-anticipatory of the teachings of this invention.